Charmides Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABCC DEDBFF GHGHII JIKIHH IIIILL MBMBLL ABABBIB IIIININ OIOIOO PQRQSS TITIII IIIIOO UIUIII TOTOII OTOTII IOIIII TVTHII WIWIXX YIYIBB OIOIZZ IIIIII OA2OA2TT TNTNLL B2OB2OC2C2 ID2ID2II TITIHV

HE was a Grecian lad who coming homeA
With pulpy figs and wine from SicilyB
Stood at his galley's prow and let the foamA
Blow through his crisp brown curls unconsciouslyB
And holding wave and wind in boy's despiteC
Peered from his dripping seat across the wet and stormy nightC
-
Till with the dawn he saw a burnished spearD
Like a thin thread of gold against the skyE
And hoisted sail and strained the creaking gearD
And bade the pilot head her lustilyB
Against the nor'west gale and all day longF
Held on his way and marked the rowers' time with measured songF
-
And when the faint Corinthian hills were redG
Dropped anchor in a little sandy bayH
And with fresh boughs of olive crowned his headG
And brushed from cheek and throat the hoary sprayH
And washed his limbs with oil and from the holdI
Brought out his linen tunic and his sandals brazen soledI
-
And a rich robe stained with the fishes' juiceJ
Which of some swarthy trader he had boughtI
Upon the sunny quay at SyracuseK
And was with Tyrian broideries inwroughtI
And by the questioning merchants made his wayH
Up through the soft and silver woods and when the labouring dayH
-
Had spun its tangled web of crimson cloudI
Clomb the high hill and with swift silent feetI
Crept to the fane unnoticed by the crowdI
Of busy priests and from some dark retreatI
Watched the young swains his frolic playmates bringL
The firstling of their little flock and the shy shepherd flingL
-
The crackling salt upon the flame or hangM
His studded crook against the temple wallB
To Her who keeps away the ravenous fangM
Of the base wolf from homestead and from stallB
And then the clear voiced maidens 'gan to singL
And to the altar each man brought some goodly offeringL
-
A beechen cup brimming with milky foamA
A fair cloth wrought with cunning imageryB
Of hounds in chase a waxen honey combA
Dripping with oozy gold which scarce the beeB
Had ceased from building a black skin of oilB
Meet for the wrestlers a great boar the fierce and white tuskedI
spoilB
-
Stolen from Artemis that jealous maidI
To please Athena and the dappled hideI
Of a tall stag who in some mountain gladeI
Had met the shaft and then the herald criedI
And from the pillared precinct one by oneN
Went the glad Greeks well pleased that they their simple vows hadI
doneN
-
And the old priest put out the waning firesO
Save that one lamp whose restless ruby glowedI
For ever in the cell and the shrill lyresO
Came fainter on the wind as down the roadI
In joyous dance these country folk did passO
And with stout hands the warder closed the gates of polished brassO
-
Long time he lay and hardly dared to breatheP
And heard the cadenced drip of spilt out wineQ
And the rose petals falling from the wreathR
As the night breezes wandered through the shrineQ
And seemed to be in some entranc d swoonS
Till through the open roof above the full and brimming moonS
-
Flooded with sheeny waves the marble floorT
When from his nook upleapt the venturous ladI
And flinging wide the cedar carven doorT
Beheld an awful image saffron cladI
And armed for battle the gaunt Griffin glaredI
From the huge helm and the long lance of wreck and ruin flaredI
-
Like a red rod of flame stony and steeledI
The Gorgon's head its leaden eyeballs rolledI
And writhed its snaky horrors through the shieldI
And gaped aghast with bloodless lips and coldI
In passion impotent while with blind gazeO
The blinking owl between the feet hooted in shrill amazeO
-
The lonely fisher as he trimmed his lampU
Far out at sea off Sunium or castI
The net for tunnies heard a brazen trampU
Of horses smite the waves and a wild blastI
Divide the folded curtains of the nightI
And knelt upon the little poop and prayed in holy frightI
-
And guilty lovers in their veneryT
Forgat a little while their stolen sweetsO
Deeming they heard dread Dian's bitter cryT
And the grim watchmen on their lofty seatsO
Ran to their shields in haste precipitateI
Or strained black bearded throats across the dusky parapetI
-
For round the temple rolled the clang of armsO
And the twelve Gods leapt up in marble fearT
And the air quaked with dissonant alarumsO
Till huge Poseidon shook his mighty spearT
And on the frieze the prancing horses neighedI
And the low tread of hurrying feet rang from the cavalcadeI
-
Ready for death with parted lips he stoodI
And well content at such a price to seeO
That calm wide brow that terrible maidenhoodI
The marvel of that pitiless chastityI
Ah well content indeed for never wightI
Since Troy's young shepherd prince had seen so wonderful a sightI
-
Ready for death he stood but lo the airT
Grew silent and the horses ceased to neighV
And off his brow he tossed the clustering hairT
And from his limbs he threw the cloak awayH
For whom would not such love make desperateI
And nigher came and touched her throat and with hands violateI
-
Undid the cuirass and the crocus gownW
And bared the breasts of polished ivoryI
Till from the waist the peplos falling downW
Left visible the secret mysteryI
Which to no lover will Athena showX
The grand cool flanks the crescent thighs the bossy hills of snowX
-
Those who have never known a lover's sinY
Let them not read my ditty it will beI
To their dull ears so musicless and thinY
That they will have no joy of it but yeI
To whose wan cheeks now creeps the lingering smileB
Ye who have learned who Eros is O listen yet a whileB
-
A little space he let his greedy eyesO
Rest on the burnished image till mere sightI
Half swooned for surfeit of such luxuriesO
And then his lips in hungering delightI
Fed on her lips and round the towered neckZ
He flung his arms nor cared at all his passion's will to checkZ
-
Never I ween did lover hold such trystI
For all night long he murmured honeyed wordI
And saw her sweet unravished limbs and kissedI
Her pale and argent body undisturbedI
And paddled with the polished throat and pressedI
His hot and beating heart upon her chill and icy breastI
-
It was as if Numidian javelinsO
Pierced through and through his wild and whirling brainA2
And his nerves thrilled like throbbing violinsO
In exquisite pulsation and the painA2
Was such sweet anguish that he never drewT
His lips from hers till overhead the lark of warning flewT
-
They who have never seen the daylight peerT
Into a darkened room and drawn the curtainN
And with dull eyes and wearied from some dearT
And worshipped body risen they for certainN
Will never know of what I try to singL
How long the last kiss was how fond and late his lingeringL
-
The moon was girdled with a crystal rimB2
The sign which shipmen say is ominousO
Of wrath in heaven the wan stars were dimB2
And the low lightening east was tremulousO
With the faint fluttering wings of flying dawnC2
Ere from the silent sombre shrine this lover had withdrawnC2
-
Down the steep rock with hurried feet and fastI
Clomb the brave lad and reached the cave of PanD2
And heard the goat foot snoring as he passedI
And leapt upon a grassy knoll and ranD2
Like a young fawn unto an olive woodI
Which in a shady valley by the well built city stoodI
-
And sought a little stream which well he knewT
For oftentimes with boyish careless shoutI
The green and crested grebe he would pursueT
Or snare in woven net the silver troutI
And down amid the startled reeds he layH
Panting in breathless sweet affV

Oscar Wilde



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